ITTO Fellowship Programme
Further information: http://www.itto.int/en/feature20_01/
Deadline: 14 August 2009 for fellowship activities that will start after 1 January 2010.
Program objective
To develop human resources and enhance professional expertise in member countries in tropical forestry, tropical timber industries and related disciplines, with a view to promoting sustainable management of tropical forests, efficient utilization and processing of tropical timber, and better economic information on the international trade in tropical timber.
Eligible activities
1. Participation in international/regional conferences, short-term training courses, training internships at industries, research and educational institutions, study tours, and lecture/demonstration tours;
2. Technical document preparation, publication and dissemination, such as manuals and monographs;
3. Small grants for post-graduate studies.
Award
The maximum amount for a fellowship is US$10,000. ITTO Fellowships provides tuition/training/conference fees, transportation fees, daily subsistence allowance, book allowance and other allowances. For post-gradate studies, only a partial tuition fee or a small research grant can be provided. Approved Fellowships are non-transferable to other programmes or institutions.
Eligibility
1. Only nationals of ITTO Member countries are eligible to apply.
2. Awards are to be made to individuals not to institutions.
3. Previous ITTO Fellowship awardees are not eligible to apply for another ITTO Fellowship within two years of receiving the first award and submitting to the Secretariat a final report on the activity for which the award was made.
Appraisal
Applications are appraised by a Fellowship Selection Panel, which meets during the sessions of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) twice a year(*1). The Panel comprises six individuals, three from producer member countries and three from consumer member countries, and is chaired by the Vice Chair of the ITTC.
Priority areas
Based on the goals and cross-cutting strategies identified in the ITTO Yokohama Action Plan 2002-2006, eligible activities will aim at developing human resources and professional expertise in one or more of the following areas (in no priority order):
1. Improving transparency of the international tropical timber market;
2. Promoting tropical timber from sustainably managed sources;
3. Supporting activities to secure the tropical timber resources;
4. Promoting sustainable management of tropical forest resources;
5. Promoting increased and further processing of tropical timber from sustainable sources;
6. Improving industry's efficiency of processing and utilization of tropical timber from sustainable sources;
7. In any of the above areas (a-f), the following are relevant:
(i) Enhancing public relations, awareness and education;
(ii) Sharing information, knowledge and technology; and
(iii) Research and development.
Selection criteria
Fellowship applications will be assessed against the following selection criteria (in no priority order):
1. Consistency of the proposed activity with the Programme's objective and priority areas;
2. Qualifications of the applicant to undertake the proposed Fellowship activity;
3. The potential of the skills and knowledge acquired or advanced under the Fellowship activity to lead to wider applications and benefits nationally and internationally;
4. Reasonableness of costs in relation to the proposed Fellowship activity.
Additional consideration will be given to:
1. Geographic and gender balance;
2. Balance among the ITTO priority areas;
3. Competency in the language in which the training will be given, where applicable (eg courses, conferences, study tours).
The ITTO Fellowships are awarded mainly to nationals of developing countries. However, ITTO may award Fellowships to nationals of consumer developed countries when: (a) the activities for which the awards are made are carried out in Producer Member countries and the activities tend to benefit Producer Member countries; and/or (b) there is evidence of technology transfer for activities to be carried out in developed countries.
Deadlines
Deadline for receipt of the completed applications are:
14 August 2009 for fellowship activities that will start after 1 January 2010.
Applicants are advised that fellowship activities should begin no sooner than 1 January 2010
*1: ITTO will hold only one Council Session in November this year. Therefore, the fellowship application received for the 14 August deadline will be considered through an on-line selection procedure by the Fellowship Selection Panel.
Application
Application forms and further instructions are available in English, French, and Spanish.
* General instructions for application
Contact
ITTO Fellowship Programme
International Tropical Timber Organization
Pacifico-Yokohama 5F, 1-1-1, Minato-Mirai, Nishi-ku
Yokohama 220-0012, JAPAN
Tel: (81-45) 223-1110 Fax: (81-45) 223-1111
E-mail: fellowship@itto.or.jp
Homepage: http://www.itto.or.jp